Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research Recruitment of a New Faculty Member

描述（由申请人提供）：疼痛是求医的主要原因。目标并不局限于单一的疾病或医学学科。相反，疼痛分布在整个生命周期中，所有人都经历过疼痛，而不考虑地位（经济、教育等）或性别，并且来自身体的所有组织。虽然急性疼痛发作通常会消退，但许多组织损伤会导致慢性疼痛状态，并且一些疼痛综合征与可证实的病理无关。导致组织过敏和慢性疼痛的机制，对生活质量、工作效率、人际关系等产生负面影响，并付出巨大代价，但人们对这些机制知之甚少。对这些机制的研究是匹兹堡疼痛研究中心的主要研究重点。中心的核心师资队伍包括那些专注于支配浅层和深层组织（如肌肉和内脏）的伤害感受器的转导和信号，髓质和脊髓背角中伤害感受输入的回路和调节，疼痛特征个体变异的遗传机制，以及成人神经系统中感觉神经元发育、分化和功能的基础机制。该项目计划是本申请的基础，其目的是通过RFA招募一名新的初级教师进入中心，以扩大中心研究专业知识和研究项目的广度和深度。核心教师已经确定了对中心发展重要的两大研究领域：转化研究，特别是流行病学，临床心理学，脑成像或微神经摄影。我们已经确定了招聘领域，这将使中心有更好的研究和培训环境，因为我们对卓越研究和合作的承诺；也将促进新员工的研究计划和职业发展。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Pain is the principal reason for seeking medical attention. Aim is not restricted to a single disease or medical discipline. Pain is, instead, distributed across the span of life, is experienced by all persons irrespective of status (economic, educational, etc.) or gender and arises from all tissues of the body. While acute episodes of pain typically resolve, many tissue insults lead to chronic pain states, and some pain syndromes are not associated with demonstrable pathology. The mechanisms that lead to tissue hypersensitivity and chronic pain, which negatively impacts quality of life, workplace productivity, interpersonal relationships, etc. at enormous cost, are poorly understood. Study of these mechanisms is the principal focus of research in the Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research (Center). Core faculty in the Center include those with a focus on transduction and signaling in nociceptors innervating superficial as well as deep tissues (e.g., muscle and viscera), circuitry and modulation of nociceptive input in the medullary and spinal dorsal horn, genetic mechanisms of individual variability in pain traits, and mechanisms that underlie sensory neuron development, differentiation and function in the adult nervous system. The Aim of the PROGRAM PLAN that is the basis of this application is to expand the breadth and depth of research expertise and research programs in the Center by recruitment through this RFA of a new junior faculty member into the Center. Core faculty has identified two broad areas of research important for growth of the Center: Translational Research, specifically epidemiology, clinical psychology, brain imaging or microneurography. Immunology or Molecular Biology We have identified areas for recruitment that will make the Center a better research and training environment and, because of our commitment to research excellence and collegiality; will enhance the research program and career development of the recruit as well.